she speaks. She came in to read to Mr. Wharton
last evening, and didn't seem to like it because I had been taken in her
place."

"She is evidently jealous. You must take care not to offend her. She
might endeavor to have you dismissed."

"I shall always treat her politely, but I don't think I can ever like
her."

Meanwhile, the housekeeper, on leaving the library, had gone to her own
room in dudgeon.

"Mr. Wharton's a fool!" she muttered to herself.

"What possessed him to take this cash-boy from the streets, invite him
to dinner, and treat him as an honored guest, and finally to engage him
as a reader? I never heard of anything so ridiculous! Is this little
vagabond to take my place in the old man's good graces? I've been
slaving and slaving for twenty years, and what have I got by it? I've
laid up two thousand dollars; and what is that to provide for my old
age? If the old man would die, and remember me handsomely in his will,
it would be worth while; but this new favorite may stand in my way. If
he does I'll be revenged on him as sure as my name is Ulrica Bradley."

Here the area bell rang, and in a moment one of the housemaids entered
Mrs. Bradley's room.

"There's your nephew outside, ma'am, and wanting to see you."

"Tell him to come in," and the housekeeper's cold face became softer and
pleasanter in aspect as a young man of twenty entered and greeted her
carelessly.

"How are you, aunt?"

"Pretty well, Thomas," she answered. "You haven't been here for some
time."

"No. I've had a lot of work to do. Nothing but work, work, all the
time," he grumbled. "I wish I was rich."

"You get through at six o'clock, don't you?"

"Yes."

"I hope you spend your evenings profitably, Thomas?"

"I ain't likely to go on any sprees, aunt, if that's what you mean. I
only get twelve dollars a week."

"I should think you might live on it."

"Starve, you mean. What's twelve dollars to a young fellow like me when
he's got his board to pay, and has to dress like a gentleman?"

"You are not in debt, I hope, Thomas?" said Mrs. Bradley, uneasily.

"I owe for the suit I have on, and I don't know where I'm going to get
the money to pay for it."

He was dressed in a flashy style, not unlike what is popularly
denominated a swell. His coarse features were disfigured with unhealthy
blotches, and his outward appearance was hardly such as to recommend
him. But to him alone the cold heart of the housekeeper was warm. He wa